Modified zein products



Futenteoi June is. tutt MQDIFIED ERODUGTQ Cyril D. Evans, Peon-is, Ill,

assignments, of one-halt to A. E.

lecturing Company, cl Delaware, and on Products Company, N

rotion of Mnine Decutur, 111., email to AmericanMaizeew York, N. Y., o conic-- assignor, by mesne Staiey Manns. corporation No Drawing. Applicntlon July is, 1941, Serial No. 402,102

periods oi time. Temperuture is a factor efiecting stobility. The stability of zein solutions is dependent on so muny teeters that it is at least u very complicated and controversial subject. Even eeitetion is e. iector effecting stability. Modification of the rein is another influential ioctor.

It is known that eldehydes modify zein. For example, dry commerciel zein treated with a. substentielly anhydrous eldehydes, such as oceteldchyde, butyroldehyde and benzeldehyde, for u long: time at ordinery tempersture, or from 3 to ill days at 50 (3., or for 2 hours at lbs. steexn pressure (l2l'"' Q), is so modified that its ordinary solubility in aqueous ethyl elcohol of 85% by weight of olcohcl, end in dlethylene glycol, is lost, and it is substantially insoluble. The present invention is loosed upon it study of the nature of re action between oldel'iydesond rein, end is dirooted to securing e solution of oldehyde-trested zein from which improved solid compositions oi aldehyde-treated zein may be obtnined.- According to the present invention the sldehyde is ellorved to set on rein without losing the prop erty of forming 2. solution .of the modified rein, so thut upon forming e solid product from the solution, such as o. film or cost, u less soluble end u more weter resistunt rein solid moy be se= cured.

From the study or the reection of eldehydes, it hes been found thot in non=o euous end in someone solutions of rein, on aldehyde ellects e union with rein which is believed from consideroble evidence to be both or chemicol combination end on ubsorption complex. Air-dried rein prod ucts of such treetments with uldehyde yield iree aldehyde on long euposureto high vacuum. At leest the dissolution union is so strong that dry solid sein compositions may be obtoined which may be boiled to bring about some iinel reection demnderit upon the eldehyde. The present invention nines to modiiy rein in solution by the 9 Claims. (Cl. 106-153) presence of aldehyde, to such' an extent that 9. dry zein body may be obtained from solution, containing aldehyde or derivative thereof, such that on baking s further modification of the zein occurs.

The conditions for modifying the zein in, solution by aldehyde may very widely. 0n standing for 3 to 6 days at 50 C., or on heatingior only 2 hours at 15 lbs. steam pressure, the desired results may be obtsined ,using' no added acid. Added acid speeds the reaction, but it may so modify the solution, that selling may result. Alkali addition does not have the accelersting effect exhibited by acid.

The, treatment of rein in solution with aldehyde is carried out, under non-gelling conditions for the particular solution. to an extent such that when the zein product is tested in a. certain way, a new property is evidenced. The test comprises forming a. film or cost by evaporating volatile solvent from the solution, sir-drying the film or coat, and baking the sir-dry illm or cost at C. for 3 hours. It the baked does not turn white or of the aldehyde and 'ciently eilected. If this point oi sumciency has been passed, it may be possible to secure a. nonblusliing film by bekinz at 130 C. for less than three hours, as for example in 2 hours. However, such film will still meet the prescribed test. The presence of acid tends to produce the non-blushing film in less bolting time then u like solu= tion looking the sold. An excessive time at elevated temperature for the trestment of zein in solution by aldehyde, likewise shortens the time oi baking for effecting a, non-blushing film. Increased' amounts of eldehyde in the solution also shorten the time of baking. Therefore, it is to be understood that the eldehyde-contoininu solotion of zein must reect et leest to en'extent to meet the test, but it msy go beyond the point, and still meet the test. It msy extend to any point short of selling of the solution under treotment or when cooled from on elevated treotino" temperature.

Commercisl iormolin solutions as well as uu== hydrous sldehydes, such so oeeteldehyde, propionoldehyde, loutyrololehyde, .iurfurel, end lienssldehyde may be employed, the urnount of outer present being not pertinent the reaction, but bolus pertinent to the stebility or the gelling oi the resultont solution.

Elevated tempereture for the aldehyde-rein solution is not strictly essentiel tor the results. but for practiced purposes it is considered essenblush when wet with wster. the sction the role in solution is sufliv to the chorecter of v 3 tial to the present invention to employ a temperature of at least 50 C. At ordinary temperature it takes about 4 months toconditionthe solution of modified zein, without acid, to meet the test. At 50 C., it takes from 3 to 6 days. At about 120. C. (15 lbs. steam pressure), it takes only two hours. Where elevated temperature is used the charge usually requires elevated pressure.

.In using commercial formaldehyde the alcohol of the liquid reaction phase necessarily becomes If less than 15 cc. of formalin is used, the solution gels on removal from the autoclave. If 18 cc. of formalin is used the autoclaved solution is non-gelling, and at 1 hour of baking the film blushes, while at 2 hours ofbaking it is nonblushing. If 21 cc. of formalin is used, the film has only a faint blush when baked for 1 hour at 130, but-tat 2 hours in non-blushing.

Erample 5.Mt:ced aldehydes, ethyl alcohol 20 grains, of zein, 50 cc. of 95% (by volume) ethyl alcohol; cc. of formalin, and 10 cc. of acetavoid blistering by retained aldehyde when performing the baking. Vacuum drying or a moderate drying at an elevated temperature up to 100 C. before baking will avoid blistering.

The aldehyde used for the reaction mass becomes partly associated with the zein, and partly acts as a solvent component. Therefore, use of excess aldehyde is expressed herein as 'a solver; use of aldehyde.

The following examples illustrate the invention. Zein employed contains 7% moisture unless otherwise specified.

Example 1.-Formaltn, ethyl alcohol 20 grams of zein, 50 cc. absolute ethyl alcohol, and 20 cc. of commercial aqueous formalin (40% by volume and 37% by weight of formaldehyde) are heated for 1 hour in an autoclave at lbs. steam pressure (121 C.). The cooled solution is spread out to form a film on evaporation. of the liquid solvent. The film is air-dried. The dried film is baked for either 2 hours or 3 hours at 130 C., forming a film which is non-blushing on being wet with water.

If 15 cc. of formalin is used the solution gels on removal from the autoclave. If 25 cc. of

gtarmalin is used the results'are as described for Example 2.-Eo'rmaltn, ethyl alcohol grams of zein, 50 cc. of 95% (by volume) ethyl alcohol (which is 92.4% by weight), and 18 cc. of formalin solution, are treated to provide a film as in Example 1. The film baked for 2 hours at 130 C. shows a slight blush, but when baked for 3 hours, shows no blush.

The 18 cc. of formalin is just about the minimum usage, below which gelling occurs on removal from the autoclave.

Example 3.--Formalin, ethyl alcohol 20 grams of zein, 50 cc. of 85% (by weight) ethyl alcohol, and 18 cc. of formalin solution, are treated as in Example 2 with results as described therein.

Example 4.--Formaltn, ethyl alcohol 20 grams of zein, 50 cc. of 65% (by weight) ethyl alcohol, and 15 cc. of formalin, are autoclaved at 121 C. for 1 hour. The solution is just about at the gelling point. An air-dried film is formed which in baking for 2 hours at 130 is non-blushing.

Examples 19 to 33.Acetaldehyde, ethyl alcohol aldehyde, are autoclaved at 121 C. for 1 hour. A film is deposited from the resulting solution, and

air-dried. Thedried film baked'for 1 hour at 130 C. is non-blushing. Eazhmple 6.-Acetdldehyde, methyl alcohol 40 grams of zein, 100 cc. of absolute methyl alcohol, and 15 cc. of acetaldehyde are heated in an autoclave at 121 C. for 2 hours. The solution is employed to deposit a film, which is air-dried. In baking, at 130 C. for 3 hours, the rum is rendered non-blushing.

Under the same conditions, using 5 cc. and 10 cc. of the acetaldehyde, the cooled solutions are stable for 1 and 7 days respectively, and the baked films blush. When the acetaldehyde is increased up to 40 co. the results are as described for 15 cc.

Examples 7 to 18.Acetaldeh1/de, methyl alcohol Using the same conditions and amounts as described in Example 6, and with variations as follows, the results are as given below- Weight per Example cent MeOH Using 100 cc. of alcohol of varying aquosity, 40 grams of zein, and varying amounts of acetaldehyde, and using standardized conditions as follows: 2 hours autoclaving at 121 C., forming airdried films, and baking for 3 hours, at 130 C., the blushing results are as follows:

E 1 weight B] h mm c rcen us p g aldehyde 92. 4 l0 Faint 92. 4 15 N 0. 92. 4 20 No. 92. 4 26 No. 92. 4 32 No. 92. 4 40 No. 15 No. 85 20 N0. 85 26 N 0. 85 32 No. 85 40 No. 65 20 N0. 65 26 No. 65 i 32 N0. 65 40 No.

Example 34.--Butyraldehyde, ethyl alcohol 40 grams of zein, cc. of 85% (by weight) ethyl alcohol, and 32 cc. of butyraldehyde, were autoclaved for 2 hours at 121 C. An air-dried film was formed, and baked for 3 hours at 130 C. The baked film is non-blushing with water.

Example 35 -Plasticizers Repeating Example 34 with 30 cc. of butyraidehyde, and plasticizer, thesame results were obtained. The following plasticizers and amounts have been employed in the repetitions.

Example 36.-Benzaldehyde, ethyl alcohol 40 grams of zein, 100 cc. of 95% (by volume) ethyl alcohol, 50 cc. of benzaldehyde; are autoclaved for 1 hour at 121 C. An air-dried film, baked at 130 C. for 3 hours is nonblushing.

Example 37 Repeating Example 36 with 2 hours autoclaving, the resulting film is non-blushing when baked for only 1 hour at.130 C.

Example 38.-Propionaldehyde Ethyl alcohol, 40 grams of zein, 100 cc. of 85% by weight ethyl alcohol, 40 to 50 cc. of propionaldehyde; are autoclaved for one hour at 121 C. An air-dried film, baked at 130 C. for three hours exhibits but a faint blush.

Acid accelerator Example 39.-Acid catalyst .When 20 grams of zein in 50 cc. of 85% (by weight) ethyl alcohol, and 20 cc'. of acetaldehyde or 2 cc. of normal H2804 solution. While 2 cc.

of normal H01 will produce a like result, 3 cc. or more of normal HCl causes gelling on removalfrom the autoclave. Using 2 cc. of normal HCl, permits shortening the autoclave time to 1% hours, while still securing a non-blushing film at 1 hour of baking at.130 C. In the some short-' ened time of autoclaving the use of 3 cc. of normal. H01, likewise produces gelling on removal from the autoclave.

Example 40.--Acid 20 grams of zein, 50 cc. 85% (by weight) alcohol, 20 cc. of acetaldehyde and 1 cc. of. glacial acetic acid or or normal HCl. are autoclaved for till /2 hOlll at 121 C. The air-dried film is baked at 130 C. At the end of' V hour baking it blushes slightly with water, but in one hour of baking it is non-blushing.

It the acid is increased to 2 cc. of the normal 6 HCl, or to 2.5 cc. of glacial acetic is non-blushing in /2 hour, of baking. Under like conditions, using no acid, the film blushes. 3 cc. of normal HCl causes the solution to gel on removal from the autoclave, but 5 cc. of glacial acetic acid does not do this and forms a nonblushing film in V hour baking at 130 C.

Emmple 41 20 grams of zein, 50 cc. of (by weight) ethyl alcohol, 25 cc. of acetaldehyde, and 2 cc. of normal HCl, autoclaved for 2 hours at 121 0., give a film which on baking at C. is faintly blushing at 1 hour, and non-blushing at 2 hours.

Increasing the aldehyde, as to 35 cc. or more, gives a non-blushing film in 1 hour of baking.

Example 42.Reaction at 50 C.

' 20 grams of zein, 50 cc. of 85% (by weight) ethy1 alcohol, 20 cc. of acetaldehyde, are heated at 50 C. up to 10 days, and a film baked at various times at 130 0., gives the following results as to blush.

Days in liquid reaction Hours baked Blush 3.. 3 Faint.

5 Do. 3.. 6 Do. 4.. 3 Do 5... 4% No. -6.. 3 No. 10.. a N0.

The-baked product The non-blushing films of zein are insoluble in 85% (by weight) ethyl alcohol, and in diethylene glycol, which are excellent solvents for the original zein. The aldehyde treated zein in its (baked or unbaked) form has a much less water absorption than like products made of zein not subjected to the action of aldehyde.

The dry zein treated with anhydrous acetaldehyde butyraldehyde, and benzaldehyde in amount by weight from a minimum of 75% to a maxi-- mum of to 200% based on zein, at 12 C., for 2 or more hours, and inthe' cases of the acetaldehyde and the butyraldehyde at 50 C. for 3 to 10 days, is insoluble in the same solvent materials as those described for the non-blushing films.

Since it is known that the air-dried films contain aldehyde which is removable in a vacuum. as from a possible absorption complex, it is believed that the baking completes some reaction leading to insolubility. It is therefore believed that the present invention offers a means to divide the reaction into two stages, whereby a soluble aldehyde-modified zein is obtained, from which a potentially reactive solid form of zein is secured containing in a complex a form of aldehyde reactive with some modified form of zein, to produce improved zein products.

The nitrogen contents of the dry-aldehydetreated dry-zein, and of the non-blushing films arelower than in dry zein, indicating the possibility of some addition to the molecule.

In' the following claims the invention is set forth in its comprehensive terms, and it is to be understood that the variations set forth above, and others are contemplated as falling Within the scope of the invention. 4

I claim:

1. A process of producing a modified zein which comprises reacting zein in a solution of volatile solvent containing as a component throughout the reaction an aldehyde at a temberstur" of at acid, the rum 3. A process of producing a modified zein which comprises reacting zein dissolved in a volatile solvent of substantially anhydrous character containing as an ingredient throughout the reaction an aldehyde at a temperature of at least 50 C.

to form a solution of zein capable of depositing a body which when air-dried and then baked at 130 C. for three hours is substantially nonblushing with water.

4. A process of producing a modified zein which comprises reacting zein in a solution of volatile solvent containing as an ingredient throughout the reaction acetaldehyde at a temperature 01' at least 50 C. to form a solution of zein capable of depositing a body which when air-dried and then baked at 130 C. for three hours is substantially non-blushing with water.

5. A process of producing a modified zein which comprises reacting zein in a solution of volatile solvent containing as an ingredient added anhydrous aldehyde at a temperature of at least 50 C. to form a solutionof zein capable of deasoa, 1 28 positing a body which when air-dried and then baked at 130 C. for three hours is substantially non-blushing with water.

6. The process 01' claim 1 in which a small amount of acid is present as catalyst.

7. A. process of producing a zein body which is substantially non-blushing with water which comprises reacting the zein in a solution of volatile solvent containing as an ingredient an aidehyde at a temperature 01 at least C. for a time to avoid gelling of the solution, evaporating volatile solvent from the solution to provide a solid zein body, and baking the said body of zein at C. for a time sumcient to render the zein body substantially non-blushing when wet with water.

8. The process of claim 7 in which a small amount of acid is present in solution, whereby to accelerate the action in solution and in bakin 9. A process of producing a modified heat-reactive zein solid which comprises reacting zein in a solution of volatile solvent containing as a component throughout the reaction an aldehyde at a temperature of at least 50 C. to form a solution of zein capable oi. depositing a body which when air-dried and then baked at 130 C. for three hours is substantially non-blushing with water, and evaporating the solvent from said solution to form a solid retaining aldehyde associated with zein and reactive in its retained form on the application of heat to alter the physical properties of the solid zein.

CYRJL D. EVANS." 

